Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-01-15

Lazy Lydiards face assumed a look OF
blank disnay. ~ am afraid have failed 10
convey my exact meaning TO you,n she said.
Hardyman gravely declared that he UNDER
stood her perfectly. Perfectly he repeated,
with his impenetrable obstinacy your
.adyship exactly expresses my opinion of Miss
Isabel Prudent and cheerful and sweet
tempered, as you say--all the qualities in
woman that admire. With good looks, too
of course with good looks. She win be
perfect treasure las you remarked just now
TO the man who marries her. | may claim
10 know something about it. / have twice
aarrowly escaped being married myself; and
though can't exactly explain it, I'm all the
iarder to please in consequence Miss Isabel
peases me. | think have said that before.
Pardon me for saying it again. III call to-
morrow morning and look at the dog, as
early MS eleven o'clock, If you will allow me.
Later in the day must be off TO France to
attend sale of horses. Glad to have been
OF any use to your ladyship, l am sure. Good
morning"
Lady Lydiard let him go, wisely resigning
any further attempt TO establish an un er-
standing between her visitor and herself.
He is either person Of very limited in
|
she thought, ''or he deliberately declines to
take plain hint when it is given to him. l
can't drop his acquaintance, on Tommie's ac-
count. The only other alternative is to keep
Isabel out of his way. My good little girl
shall not drift into false position while
am living to look after her When Mr.
Hardyman calls tomorrow she shall be out
ON an errand. When he calls on his return
she shall be up stairs with a headache. And
If he tries it again she shall be away at my
house in the country. If he makes any re-
marks on her absence--well, he will find that
can be just as dull of understanding as he
Is when the occasion calls for it.
Having arrived at this satisfactory solution
OF the difficulty, Lady Lydiard became con-
scious of an irresistible impulse to summon
Isabel to her presence and caress her In the
nature of a warm-hearted woman this was
only the inevitable reaction which followed
the subsistence of anxiety about the girl, after
her own resolution had set that anxiety at
rest. She threw open the door and made one
OF her sudden appearances in the boudoir.
Even in the fervent outpouring of her affeo-
ton there was still the inherent abruptness
of manner which so strongly marked Lady
Lydiard's character in all the relations of
life
ibid give you kiss this morningm she
asked when Isabel rose TO receive her
"Yes, my lady," said the girl, with her
charming smile.
Come, then, and give me a kiss in return
Do you love met Very well, then, treat me
like your mother. Never mind my lady
this time. Give me good hug"
Something in those homely words, or some
thing perhaps in the look that accompanied
them, touched sympathies in Isabel which
seldom showed themselves on the surface
Her smiling lips trembled, the bright tear
rose in her eyes. "You are too good to me-
she murmured, with her head on Lad
Lydiard's bosom "How can / ever love yen
enough in return?"
Lady Lydiard patted thu pretty head that
rested on her with such filial tenderness.
There! therei" she said. go back and
clay with Tommie, my dear. We may be as
fond Of each other as we like, but we mustn't
cry. God bless youl Go away l-go away
She turned aside quickly; her own eyes
we're moistening, and 1t was part of her
character to be reluctant to let Isabel see it.
why have l made fool of myselfP' she
wondered, as she approached the drawing
room door. 1T doesn't matter, am all the
better for it Odd, that Mr.. Hardymar
should have made me feel fonder Of Isabe
than everl"
With these reflections she re-entered the
drawing room, and suddenly checked herself
with a start Good heavensl" she ex.
claimed. irritably, ''how you frightened me
Why was not told you were hereT
Having left the drawing room In a state Of
solitude, Lady Lydiard, on her return, found
herself suddenly confronted with gentle
man mysteriously planted on the hearthrug
in her absence The new visitor may be
rightly described as a gray man He had
gray hair, eyebrows and whiskers; he wore
gray coat waistcoat and trousers, and
gray gloves. For the rest his appearance
was eminently suggestive of wealth and re-
spectability, and in this case appearances
were really to be trusted. The gray man
was no other than Lady Lydiard's legal ad
wiser, Mr.. Troy.
Il regret, my lady, that should have been
so unfortunate as to startle you," he said
with certain underlying embarrassment in
Eismanner. II had the honor of sending word
by Mr.. Moody that would call at this hour
IN some matters Of business connected with
your ladyship's house property. presumed
that you expected to find me here waiting
your pleasure"
Thus far Lady Lydiard had listened to her
legal adviser, fixing her eyes on his face in
her usually frank, Straightforward way
She now stopped him in the middle of sen
tence, with change of expression on her
own face which was undisguisedly change
to alarm
Don't apologize, Mr.. Troy" she said 81
1IA to blame for forgetting your appoint
ment and for not keeping my nerves under
proper control" She paused for a moment
and took a seat before she said her mex
words May | ask, " she resumed, ''if there
is something unpleasant in the business that
brings you hereF
Nothing whatever, my lady; mere for
malities, which can wait till tomorrow OF
next day, If you wish it"
Lady Ly1iards fingers drummed impa
tientIy on the table You have known m,
long enough, Mr.. Troy, to know that canno
endure suspense You haze something un
pleasant to tell me-"
The lawyer respectfully demonstrated
Really Lady Lydiard-"he began.
ut won't do, Mr. Troy know how vol
look at me on ordinary occasions, and Sc,
how you look at me now. You are a very
clever lawyer; but, happily for the Interest,"
| IL. II 80.